Positional Report Card for Tennessee vs. Kentucky

Tennessee football needed a big win to impress the nation this past week, and they did just that. They were able to dominate the Kentucky Wildcats to improve their record to 7-2 for the year. This also gave them their second top-10 win of the season.

The Vols played some of their best all-around football in this game, but their defense once again showed how dominant they can be. Each position group contributed to the win, but some stood out more than others.

Here is how every position group performed.

Quarterback: B

In this game, both Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre saw the field, and both had big plays. Brandon was used on some short-yardage plays and made the most of them. He had a huge run on one, and a jet sweep touchdown pass on another. As for MacIntyre, he showed he was able to put the ball on the money and get it to his playmakers. He had another touchdown pass taken away because DaSaahn Brame dropped the ball after the play. The stats do not give the full story on MacIntyre.

Running Backs: A+

Coming into the game, people doubted the Vols would be able to run the ball; well, they did. DeSean Bishop once again eclipsed 100 yards, and Daune Morris added 85 yards. Morris had the biggest play of the day when he ran in a 66-yard touchdown to get the Vols' first score.

Offensive Line: B+

The offensive line did their job well against Kentucky. They got better as the game progressed, and towards the end of the game they were getting a lot of push on the Kentucky front. The unit only allowed one sack on the day. Overall, a good performance.

Tight Ends: D+

Not the greatest showing for the Tennessee tight ends, only finishing the game with 25 total yards, but one of the plays that wasn't called should have been ruled a touchdown for the Vols. Regardless, this team could have played much better.

Wide Receivers: B+

The wide receivers made the plays they were supposed to all game long. Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews led the way and provided all the receptions except for one. Radarious Jackson made a sensational catch in tight coverage for 36 yards that was a key moment in the game. The stats don't jump off the page, but the WR room helped produce an efficient passing attack.

Defensive Line: C

The Vols' defensive line also seemed to get better as the game progressed, but it still was not a dominant display. This was the quietest game of the season for the group, but they were going up against one of the best offensive lines in the country.

Linebackers: A+

The best player in the game was probably Arion Carter. He had 10 solo tackles, 2 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, and 13 total tackles. He was everywhere and made several massive plays. Jeremiah Telander and Edwin Spillman also had huge days for the Vols. The LB position group was dominant, and they should feel proud of their performance.

Defensive Backs: A

The defensive backs had numerous big plays and really showed how good they can be. Dejuan Lane had yet another interception and another tackle for loss. Lane has proven to be a star on the defensive side of the ball for the Vols. Qua Moss was also sensational. He had 9 total tackles, 6 of them solo, one sack, one tackle for loss, and a huge pass breakup. For the most part, the defensive backs were where they were supposed to be and came up with huge plays in big moments.

Special Teams: A

Special teams did their job perfectly for Tennessee. Cooper Ranvier has shown he can be a weapon and gives the team confidence in his field goal attempts. He finished perfectly, hitting both his attempts (long of 48), and then he made all 4 extra points. As far as punting, Jackson Ross had 4 punts for 171 yards. 3 of his punts ended inside the 20-yard line. A great, reliable performance by the special teams unit.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/tennessee as Positional Report Card for Tennessee vs. Kentucky.